Avatron has just launched its new Air Display app that turns any iPad into an extra monitor for netbook, laptop or desktop computers, adding up to 70 percent more usable screen space. More info:

The lightweight app improves productivity by allowing users to reposition windows or workflow elements onto the separate screen to free up more workspace. It is ideal for pairing with laptops, such as the MacBook Air. A Windows version is currently under development.

Air Display connects the devices over a localized wireless network and leverages the iPad?s auto-rotation feature, allowing the device to be rotated in portrait or landscape orientation as needed. The iPad can be positioned to the left or right of the primary screen, and the device?s hallmark touch-screen functionality can still be used to manipulate features on the iPad screen, just as if it were being used alone.

The app delivers hi-performance mouse capabilities with a screen refresh rate of 150 frames per second for no perceivable lag time in mouse performance. Compressed image quality and refresh speed are continually balanced to optimize viewing quality or speed of movement as needed.

For easy installation, the required Mac components are installed to the main machine, with the Air Display app loaded on the iPad. Once basic configurations are made, the main machine automatically recognizes the iPad as a secondary monitor each time the app is loaded on the device. Once the iPad app is closed, the main machine automatically returns to single-screen mode.